Thursday, 17 May 2012

Gin & Crohnic

Since my operation last year, it's become more and more apparent that I can no longer 'handle my ale'. I don't really know if I can call this is a benefit or not yet. It means a cheap night out for me I suppose.
I've found, through rigorous tests, (your welcome by the way), that if I drink wine I am laid up for hours- instant headaches, queasy and stomach crunching pain. So I generally try to avoid it. I love that; "try to avoid it" like it's chasing me around ASDA screaming "Pick me! 2 of me for a fiver!" In my head that's what happens anyway.
Spirits, which usually I'm fine with, I can now have about 2 of then I'm feeling as if I've been on it all night. This can be slightly embarrassing if you are not with friends and people who understand, others just assume you are a silly drunken fool and any protests to the contrary ("I've HONESTLY only had TWO!") sound trite, and funnily enough like the ramblings of a silly drunken fool.
Here comes the science bit; the lovely surgeon last year took away a bit of my insides - this in turn means I lose lots of lovely vitamins, zapping my energy and leaving not a lot of room for alcohol to set up home for the night. Yes not very scientific I agree but it makes sense to me.
Obviously depending on the type of medication or treatment you are on for Crohn's this must play a part in how much you drink. For me the drug trial I am on allows for alcohol to be consumed 'in moderation' - being Scottish I'm not entirely sure I know what that means.
I don't feel I'm at the stage where I want to stop drinking altogether. Yet. Occasionally, socially, I don't want to feel I have to sit stone cold sober listening to banter I probably would be finding completely hilarious had I had a couple of vodkas. I realise this all makes me sound like a drunk (I really don't drink that much).
I've not had any major issues with alcohol so far - other than wine which I'll just have to remedy by wearing a blindfold when visiting ASDA. The only problem has been my ability to safely consume 2-3 without completely flooring myself. Or ending up on the floor, literally. So I'll just have to take my own advice and drink only 'in moderation', which, as I understand it means 'a brewery-full'.*

*it doesn't silly! It means vodka on cornflakes, a hip-flask to work and a half bottle 3times a day. Obviously.

2 comments:

Commenting anonymously for reasons that will become clear. I'm a young, social person who has ulcerative colitis, and even though, thankfully, I am generally quite healthy and asymptomatic, I've found that drinking any alcohol, even one or two beers, leads to stomach trouble later in the evening. It's no fun being locked for 30 minutes in the only bathroom at a stranger's house party, and so I've cut alcohol out of my diet entirely. Now, when I go out, I only smoke weed. This is great, because: a) I enjoy the high; b) it only lasts about two or three hours; c) it doesn't cause any stomach trouble at all; and d) I'm never hung over the next day. Just another perspective.

Interesting. I tend to find being around too much smoke for long periods (I dont smoke myself) upsets my guts. I can understand the benefits you find but for me that would be replacing one irritation with another! It only leaves for me to become a nun ;)